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13 March 2020 - Unit of Learning

Due to schools shutting down on Thursday to help prevent of COVID 19 all Classes are cancelled until the 19/03/20, returning to school on the week of the 23rd.
First year and Fourth year classes were carried out using Google Classroom, it felt impersonal and I felt as if I was slacking in my approach to teaching as I was in front of my computer available for any students that sent me questions. The principal of the school advised to stick to our time table, and that “office hours” were that of the set out timetable. This will be the normal approach to teaching for the next two weeks, already online groups of art teachers are forming to share ideas for teaching online. A great response and a much needed support network and information pool that art teachers from around the globe can utilise.

Second years are progressing very well and are showing wonderful examples of cooperation in their approach to learning. They have no problems sharing problem solving ideas or assisting one another. This was remarked on by the visiting supervisor. From the start of the year they have shown great strides not only in their artistic skills but also in their approach to the subject and their work.
Fifth years demonstrated their drawing abilities in their planning of their moulds. They have remarkable skill and it was good to see them demonstrate it. From here we will move onto creating a latex mould, plaster will need to be ordered so that it will hold the mould. 

This was to be the week they finished their most recent Unit of Learning where they designed a tattoo, they would make a plaster cast of their hand and draw their tattoo onto it using Indian ink. They engaged well with the project and would have completed the works had it not been for a delay in the delivery of plaster bandages which were needed to create the moulds. In future, before beginning a project such as this, I will not start the project until all materials needed are in the art room.

In this weeks’ collaborative seminar it spoke of the creative arts in education, which I found made an excellent point regarding creativity. That some feel that only the select few can be Creative. This is something I have noticed particularly with my fourth year group, that many may not give their best effort as they aren’t “artistic.” I had planned to approach the decorating of their letters/ numbers to echo that statement, that as they are expressing themselves they can be creative. Early man painted his caves, penguins look for the most beautiful pebble they can find and birds creating beautiful hanging nests. To be in this world, is to have a desire for the Aesthetically pleasing aspects of life. If a bird can do it, then I see no reason for a human being not to be creative.

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